Township



H V E R H S T C a d 0 M O m Patented May 1, 1883.

HOOD FOR VEHICLE TOPS. No. 276,908.

INVENTOR /6. cf/fwm ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES T. SHREVE, OF DELAWARE TOWNSHIP, CAMDEN COUNTY, N. J.

HOOD FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 276,908, dated May 1, 1883,

Application filed December 20, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES T. Snimvn, of Delaware township, in the county of 0amden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Hood for Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved hood to be attached to the front of the tops of vehicles for the purpose of preventing rain or snow from driving over the top of the apron.

Reference is tobe had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an inside view of a carriage-top to which my improved hood is fastened, the hood being shown raised. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing the hood lowcred. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the some on the line as m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing the hood frame folded.

My improved hood is formed of a frame, which. is covered with oil-cloth or leather, as may be desired. The frame is formed of two bows, A and B, which are pivoted to each other at or near the ends, and which bows are of such size that the bow B canfold within the bow A, as shownin Fig. 1. Both bows are provided at the middle with some suitable joint or hinge, O, to permitof folding the bows. Bracing straps or hands D are attached to both bows to prevent the bow B from swinging down too far, and to relieve the covering from the strain. If the cover is made of very strong material, the brace-bands D can be dispensed with. A clamp-hook, E, of any desired or suitable construction, is attached to each end of the bow A, and through the free end of the said clamphook a binding-screw, F, passes.

If the hood is to be secured to the fixed front bow, G, of a carriage-top, the bow A is placed within the bow G, as shown in Fig. 1,

and is held on the same by meansof the clamps E and screws F. The rib H, projecting down from the front edge of the fixed bow G, prevent-s the bow A from swinging downward. The bow B is swung downward, whereby the coveringJ (shown in dotted lines in- Fig. 3) will form a hood, which will prevent the rain and snow from being driven over the apron.

It the hood is not to be used, the clampingscrews F are loosened, the hood is removed, the bows A B are folded, as shown in Fig. 4, and then can be conveniently stored in or under the seat, or in anyother suitable receptacle in the vehicle.

The above-described hood can be attached to fixed or folding tops of buggies, phaetons, long-topped, or any other vehicles. The bows or hood-frame can be made of iron or wood. It is preferable to a fixed hood, which always mars the appearance of acarriage-top, whereas my improved hood mars the appearance only when in use.

I am aware that it is not new to use an auxiliary top pivoted to the main one, or to have its bows jointed in the middle for convenient folding into a convenient shape for transportation; but

What I do claim as new and of my inven tion is 1. An auxiliary vehicle-top formed of two bows, A B,.of unequal size, the front one, B, being the smallerand pivoted to the other, near each end, to fold under it, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the bows A G of the auxiliary and main tops,0f the clamp-hooks I CHARLES T. SHREVE.

Witnesses:

Enw. G. WEBSTER, ALEX. B. PORTER. 

